Lesson 2.5

Cooking With Herbs

The wonderful world of culinary herbs spans from common household spices like garlic, cumin, and black pepper, to more exotic flavorings like saffron and lemongrass. There is a plethora of herbs used in the kitchen, and your imagination is the limit. Even edible, bitter greens like Dandelion play a superstar role in detoxifying the liver and kidneys.

The storage guidelines for fresh herbs will vary by herb; however, most dried spices, provided they are good quality, can last up to two years (just like powdered herbs). Remember that whole dried herbs will remain fresher than powders, because they have not been ground up (which allows for oxygen to surround the smaller particles of powder). With this said, a high-quality spice may still be safe to use two years later, but the freshness and potency may vary.

Cooking with Fresh Herbs

When cooking with fresh herbs, your timing of use determines how your dish will taste as well as the nutritional benefits when consumed. Many fresh plants are susceptible to heat, and therefore their vitamins, minerals and enzymes can be destroyed in the cooking process. For this reason, fresh herbs are generally added at the end of the cooking process to retain the fresh flavor and health benefits. Some herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and basil, however, are often used in the cooking process to draw out their deep flavors when that is desired (think pasta sauce). You can also bake dishes with fresh or dried herbs. Remember, when cooking or baking with fresh herbs, you will extract much of their flavor but lose some of their health benefits. Therefore, balance is key. Try to rotate the fresh herbs you consume, and eat them both raw and cooked, to experience both their significant flavor profiles and healing properties.

List the culinary herbs you use on a regular basis. Do you think of these as having medicinal value when you consume them? Do you think culinary herbs are weaker or have the same potential as medicinal herbs?